Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: Charles Taylor
Returner Spotlight: Vanessa Shippy
November 16, 2017 | Cowgirl Softball
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State softball senior Vanessa Shippy has been an anchor at the heart of the program's reemergence into the national spotlight. Now entering her senior season, Shippy will look to cement her place as one of OSU's most decorated players.
The Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, native first came to Stillwater prior to the 2015 season and immediately she stepped in and made an impact. That season, she was one of only two Cowgirls to start all 52 games, and she did so batting primarily out of the three-hole or in the clean-up spot.
She was named to the All-Big 12 Freshman team, thanks primarily to a .306 batting average, three home runs and 28 RBI. Shippy also notched 12 doubles, tying for second in the league, and posted an impressive .432 on-base percentage as a freshman.
Her success only grew during a 2016 season that saw her once again start every game for Oklahoma State, this time playing in 58 consecutive contests.
Early in the season, she went 3-for-3 at the plate to help guide OSU to an 8-4 victory over the ninth-ranked Washington Huskies. She then went 2-for-3 with two RBI a month later to help the Cowgirls knock off Ole Miss in Stillwater.
Shippy ultimately led the Big 12 in batting average (.425), runs scored (58), walks (43) and on-base percentage (.543). Her 58 runs scored, 43 walks and .543 on-base percentage all set new OSU single-season records.
At the season's end, Shippy was named a third-team All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, as well as being named a CoSIDA Academic All-American after racking up a 3.91 grade-point average in the classroom. She was the first Cowgirl to earn All-America honors since Courtney Totte in 2007, and the first to earn both All-America and Academic All-America honors in the same season since Lauren Bay in 2003.
To top it off, Shippy also was named the Big 12 Conference's Co-Player of the Year, putting her in another exclusive club with Bay (2003), as the only two Cowgirls to ever be named the league's player of the year.
Despite all of her immediate success, Shippy was able to continue to grow as a player during her junior season last year, and she continued to stamp her name throughout the Oklahoma State record books.
In 2017, Shippy was one of three Cowgirls to start and appear in a record-setting 63 games. It marked the third straight season that the left-handed batter started every game for the Cowgirls, and her consecutive starts streak currently stands at a team-high 173 games.
Shippy continued to rack up impressive numbers during last season's 63 games, as she led the Cowgirls in batting average (.398), slugging percentage (.613), hits (72), runs batted in (46), doubles (16), triples (4) and total bases (111).
She also finished second on the team in on-base percentage (.517), runs scored (48), walks (47) and stolen bases (11). Her 47 bases on balls was good enough to top her record-setting sophomore number, however it was Rylee Bayless' NCAA-leading 71 that set the program's new bar in 2017.
Shippy tallied 19 multiple-hit games last season, including a 4-for-5 day against Texas on March 26. On that day, she recorded two doubles, scored three runs and drove in five more, one of which was the winning run as she delivered a walk-off single up the middle, scoring Maddi Holcomb from third base to give the Cowgirls a 10-9 victory over the Longhorns.
After her third season at OSU, Shippy was once again tabbed as a third-team All-American and a first-team Academic All-American. She is the sixth player in team history to earn multiple All-America honors in a career, and the first to earn both All-America and Academic All-America honors on multiple occasions. Her career numbers have also begun to pull level with some of Oklahoma State's most notable competitors.
She currently holds the program's career on-base percentage record at .502, while also ranking third in career batting average (.381) and fourth in slugging percentage (.562).
Shippy currently sits ninth on OSU's career hits list with 193 through her first three seasons. She also ranks in the top five on the career record lists for runs scored (136 – fourth), doubles (42 - fifth), walks (120 - second) and stolen bases (48 - fourth)
The all-around performer has starred at every position for Oklahoma State, and even made her first collegiate appearance as a pitcher this fall.
This season, she'll again feature as one of the key cogs in head coach Kenny Gajewski's lineup as she looks to cap off what has already been a historic collegiate career.
The Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, native first came to Stillwater prior to the 2015 season and immediately she stepped in and made an impact. That season, she was one of only two Cowgirls to start all 52 games, and she did so batting primarily out of the three-hole or in the clean-up spot.
She was named to the All-Big 12 Freshman team, thanks primarily to a .306 batting average, three home runs and 28 RBI. Shippy also notched 12 doubles, tying for second in the league, and posted an impressive .432 on-base percentage as a freshman.
Her success only grew during a 2016 season that saw her once again start every game for Oklahoma State, this time playing in 58 consecutive contests.
Early in the season, she went 3-for-3 at the plate to help guide OSU to an 8-4 victory over the ninth-ranked Washington Huskies. She then went 2-for-3 with two RBI a month later to help the Cowgirls knock off Ole Miss in Stillwater.
Shippy ultimately led the Big 12 in batting average (.425), runs scored (58), walks (43) and on-base percentage (.543). Her 58 runs scored, 43 walks and .543 on-base percentage all set new OSU single-season records.
At the season's end, Shippy was named a third-team All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, as well as being named a CoSIDA Academic All-American after racking up a 3.91 grade-point average in the classroom. She was the first Cowgirl to earn All-America honors since Courtney Totte in 2007, and the first to earn both All-America and Academic All-America honors in the same season since Lauren Bay in 2003.
To top it off, Shippy also was named the Big 12 Conference's Co-Player of the Year, putting her in another exclusive club with Bay (2003), as the only two Cowgirls to ever be named the league's player of the year.
Despite all of her immediate success, Shippy was able to continue to grow as a player during her junior season last year, and she continued to stamp her name throughout the Oklahoma State record books.
In 2017, Shippy was one of three Cowgirls to start and appear in a record-setting 63 games. It marked the third straight season that the left-handed batter started every game for the Cowgirls, and her consecutive starts streak currently stands at a team-high 173 games.
Shippy continued to rack up impressive numbers during last season's 63 games, as she led the Cowgirls in batting average (.398), slugging percentage (.613), hits (72), runs batted in (46), doubles (16), triples (4) and total bases (111).
She also finished second on the team in on-base percentage (.517), runs scored (48), walks (47) and stolen bases (11). Her 47 bases on balls was good enough to top her record-setting sophomore number, however it was Rylee Bayless' NCAA-leading 71 that set the program's new bar in 2017.
Shippy tallied 19 multiple-hit games last season, including a 4-for-5 day against Texas on March 26. On that day, she recorded two doubles, scored three runs and drove in five more, one of which was the winning run as she delivered a walk-off single up the middle, scoring Maddi Holcomb from third base to give the Cowgirls a 10-9 victory over the Longhorns.
After her third season at OSU, Shippy was once again tabbed as a third-team All-American and a first-team Academic All-American. She is the sixth player in team history to earn multiple All-America honors in a career, and the first to earn both All-America and Academic All-America honors on multiple occasions. Her career numbers have also begun to pull level with some of Oklahoma State's most notable competitors.
She currently holds the program's career on-base percentage record at .502, while also ranking third in career batting average (.381) and fourth in slugging percentage (.562).
Shippy currently sits ninth on OSU's career hits list with 193 through her first three seasons. She also ranks in the top five on the career record lists for runs scored (136 – fourth), doubles (42 - fifth), walks (120 - second) and stolen bases (48 - fourth)
The all-around performer has starred at every position for Oklahoma State, and even made her first collegiate appearance as a pitcher this fall.
This season, she'll again feature as one of the key cogs in head coach Kenny Gajewski's lineup as she looks to cap off what has already been a historic collegiate career.
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